Railroad ballast scraper



Allg. 1932. F, SPENO, l RAILROAD BALLAST sqRAPER I Filed Febj 19, 195; I 1sshee'qs-snee'c 2 Z A da 25 l 16,* 26 EZ I Y 15 .z5 l .25E

5 Sheets-Sheet Aug. 23, 1932. F. sPENo RAILROAD BALLAST SCRAPER Filed Feb. 19, 1951 Patented Aug. 23, 1932 -'FRANK SIEENO, FOF ITHACA, LNEW 'YORK RAILROAD BALLAST* SCRAPER Application- ,1ed..February 19,1931. .Serial N'o. .517,018.

r1"his invention relates to an improvement 1n railroadballast scrapers.

The invention is design'ediforusel primarily in connectionwith arailroadballast .cleaning machine, such .asis `setfforthfin 'my applicaj'tionl on ballast cleaning'inachines, 'Serial'Nd 283,669, filed June-i7, 1928, and in which the ballast is gathered up=by theJnachine at 'the ends of the railroad ties and `is cleaned ,and redeposited betweentheties.

"lt, has been'found'tha't'in'the operation of rsuch a machine,'the scoops forscoopirrgup "the ballast must'be 2kept at a .distance vfrom K tends, as shown inl'F ig. 1. y

the ends of theties in ordertopreventinjury "to the scoops or tothe `ties,"but"thisleaves a small amount of ballast 4packed up .against the ends of the ties and 'does not smooth it Y out evenly lbesi'detheitracks.

` 'It is the object of`thisinventicnto:l provide a scraper which will move `along^thetrack and scrape" the ballast left'by the scoops of 'the ballast cleaning 'machine away fromthe ends of'theties. andplace it in'thepath "of the scoops. The scraper may 'be attached directly to theballast'cleaningrmachine or be applied toa separate structure -movedalong lthe tracks.

ln'the accompanyingidrawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing th'eiapplication ofthe invention;

.2 is .a top plan viewthereof; Fig. l3 is ahorizontal section Aon the `line `Fig.'4`is'an1end elevationof'the invention;

Iand LF ig. l5 isa detached perspectiveview of the scraper.

As shown in `the drawings,the,invention is applied to or carried bytheside of a flat car orthe like, and which maybe'the same flat car thatsupports the'balla'st cleaning v meral Storide on the rails 4, which are in turn mounted on ties 5. vThe space between the ties is 4approximately or vpartially filled With'ba'llast which it is'desira'lol'e to' clean at "place desired.

urintervals, .at which time it :is shoveled out from'lbeltween 'theties tothe space-outside' the end of the "ties, and theballast cleaning-machine ,gathers up the ballast, cleans it, .and 'redeposits it back between the Vties or any .This operation, however, .leaves a'wall of ballastatthe ends ofthe ties Vwhichs'houldfbe cleaned.

. The mechanismfor accomplishing thiscom- ,prises guides 6 lxedjtothe side sills v1 andto a frame 7 suspended"fromithe side sillsl,

The upper ends ofthe guides 6 areprovided with bearings. 8, through which a sliaft9,.ex

.Journaled onzthe shaftf9 are cross-head guides A1'() 'which extend Within. theguides ',16,

:beingjpivotally supported attheir upper ends onthe shaft ,9.'and'frce 'to swing outward about 'the .axis of said shaft. This outward .thestationaryfframe.7 at one end and against 'rings 12.at theiropposite ends, which'rings a're'connected kwiththe outer ends offbolts'll Vprojecting 'outwardly from the cross-head guides lthrough openings vin the 'guides'f and frame 7 the inner ends of said bolts being fiXeduto'the cross-head guides 10. 'The outwardswinging movement ofthe crossihead guides :10 is therefore opposed by. the tension .of the springs 11,.and these springs are compressed' upon theoutward swinging movement ofthe lcrossihead guides to .return'the crosshead 'guides to theirnormal positions within the-guides 6, as shown in Fig.' 3.

The cross-head guides 10 are provided with tracks 1'4- therein, as shown in Figj, and receive cross-heads`1'5,-which are guided in said tracks. The cross-heads15 support a scraper frame comprising side posts 16fflXedltothe cross-headsV 15 and held in spaced relation by braces 1-7. Each of the posts 16 isvprovided with brackets 18. A link 1.9 is pivotally connected `by the bolt 2O to brackets 18`of one post 16,` the opposite end beingpivotally connected asat 21.with the outer end of a scraper 22. The-opposite end of the scraper. 22 has a-.hinge23 fixed thereto, which ispivotally connected by a bolt 24 with the bracket A18 carriedby the 'other post 16` In this way,the

scraper 22 is pivotally connected with the posts 16 but is normally held against pivotal movement by the link 19.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the scraper eX- tends upward at the ends of the ties and at an acute angle to the direction of travel thereof along the track and with its forward end turned inward toward the track. The lower end of the scraper has a tooth 25 fixed thereto to plow through the ballast and force the same out-ward along the scraper. A guard lug 26 is formed at the forward edge of the scraper 22 and is curved laterally therefrom to keep the edge of the scraper separated from the ends of the ties in order to prevent injury to the mechanism by the scraper striking against the overlength ties. A strip 26 eX- tends behind the lug 26 and the scraper 22 and is welded thereto.

`As shown in Fig. 8, the cross-heads 15 have .screws 27 threaded therethrough, and these ycross-heads are supported by the screws, which extend upwardly within the cross-head Yguides 10 and are journaled in bearings 28 near the upper ends thereof. The upper ends of the screws 27 are geared to the shaft 9 by beveled gears 29 for causing rotation of these screws. i

The shaft 9 may be driven in any suitable manner from a source of power, as for instance b v the drive shaft 30 connected with the shaft 9 by gearing enclosed within the housing 31 and which may, if desired, be controlled by a suitable clutch having a clutch lever designated by the numeral 32. Any other suitable means may be employed, as found desirable, for driving the shaft 9.

Then the invention is applied to a ballast cleaning machine such as is illustrated in my application Serial No. 283,669, filed June 7, 1928, the shaft 9 may be suitably driven from the main drive shaft of said machine.

This apparatus may, if desired, be placed in front of the scoops of the machine toI loosen the ballast and force it outward in position to be gathered up by the scoops.

In operating the machine, the screws 27 are rotated by the shaft 9 to lower the scraper 22 carried by the scraper frame, which in turn is suspended from the screws into a predetermined position opposite the ends of the cross-ties, and the machine is moved forward on the railroad car or with the ballast cleaning machine in order to scrape the ballast away from the ends of the ties and place it in the path of the scoops. The guard lug 26 may bear against the edges or ends of the ties to keep the scraper 22 from striking the ends of the overlength ties. As the guard lug engages an edge of an overlength tie, it swings the scraper, its supporting frame and the cross-head guides 10 outward slightly against the tension of the springs 11, and about the axis of the shaft 9, so that the scraper will swing outward sufiiciently far to clear the end of the overlength ties, and in this way prevent injury or destruction thereto.

In transporting the machine from place to place, the scraper should be elevated by the screws 27, which causes the cross-heads 15 to slide upward within the cross-head guides 10, carrying the scraper 22 and supporting the same in a protected position opposite the frame 7.

In this way, an effective means is provided for scraping the ballast left by the scoop of the ballast cleaning machine away from the ends of the ties and placing it in the path of the scoop.

I claim:

1. A scraper structure comprising a support, a scraper element, guiding means, means for adjusting the scraper element vertically in the guiding means, means for supporting the scraper element for swinging movement on the support, and resilient means normally opposing said swinging movement of the scraper element.

2. A scraper structure comprising a support, a scraper element, guiding means, means for adjusting the scraper element vertically in the guiding means, means for supporting the scraper element for swinging movement on the support, and means for causing an outward swinging of the scraper element to clear an obstruction.

3. A scraper structure comprising a support, a scraper element, guiding means, means for adjusting the scraper element vertically in the guiding means, means for supporting the scraper element for swinging movement on the support, means for causing an outward swinging of the scraper element to clear an obstruction, and resilient means normally tending to oppose said outward swinging movement of the scraper element and to return the same to its initial position.

4. A scraper structure comprising a support, guides carried by the support, a scraper element connected with the guides for vertical adjustment relative thereto, power means for causing vertical adjustment of the scraper clement, and means for supporting this scraper element for lateral swinging movement to clear an obstruction.

5. A scraper structure comprising a support, guides carried bv the support, a scraper element connected with the guides for vertical adjustment relative thereto, power means for causing vertical adjustment of the scraper element, means for supporting this scraper element for lateral swinging movement to clear an obstruction, and resilient means normally opposing the lateral swinging movement of the scraper element and tending to ret-urn the same to its initial position.

6. A scraper structure comprising a plu- Cil rality of parallel guides, cross-heads mounted in the guides, a scraper frame suspended between the cross-heads mounted in the parallel guides, power means connected with the crossheads for simultaneously raising and lowering the same, and a scraper element connected with the scraper frame and carried thereby.

7. A scraper structure comprising a plurality of guides, a support therefor, crossheads mounted in the guides, power screws for verticallyv adjusting the cross-heads inA scraper frame carried by the cross-heads, and I a scraper carried by said scraper frame.

9. A scraper structure comprising a support, guides carried thereby, cross-head guides mounted in said first-mentioned guides, means for supporting said cross-head guides for swinging movement, cross-heads mounted in the cross-head guides, power screws operatively connected with the crosslieads for vertical adjustment thereof, a scraper frame carried by the cross-heads, a scraper carried by said scraper frame, means for automatically causing a swinging move ment of said scraper to avoid an obstruction, and resilient means normally tending to opa pose the swinging movement of said scraper.

10. In a scraper structure, the combination with a railway car, and a track therefor, of guides supported by said car, a scraper mounted for vertical adjustment relative to the guides, power means for causing vertical adjustment of the scraper, means for supporting said scraper for lateral swinging movement to avoid injury by an obstruction, and means for automatically causing said lateral swinging movement of the scraper.V

11. In a scraper structure, the combination of a support, a scraper, means for supporting said scraper with its forward end pointed inward and for lateral swinging movement to avoid injury by an obstruction, and means for automatically causing a lateral swinging of the scraper.

12. In a scraper structure, the combination of a support, a scraper, means for supporting said scraper with its forward end pointed inward and for lateral swinging movement to avoid injury by an obstruction, means for automatically causing a lateral swinging of the scraper, *and resilient means normally tending tooppose said lateral swinging'movement and to return thescraper to its initial position.

13. In a. scraper-structurepthe combination ofa transportable support, an upright scraper, means for supporting said scraper from the transportable support with its aforwa'rd i end pointed yinward' and for lateral swinging movement to avoid injury byan .obstruction, and means for automatically caus- .iing said t lateral swinging movement lfof lfthe scraper.

,14. In a-scraper structure, the combination with a railroad car to be supported on ftrack,.ofascraper mounted in an approxiinately vertical plane with its forwardiend pointed inward, means for supporting'said scraper from the car for lateral swinging .movement relative thereto, and ,resilient vmeans normally tending to oppose :said lateralswinging movement ofthe scraper.

15. In a scraper structure,the combination witha Yrailroad v.car to` be 'supported on a track, iof 'a scraper mounted in an @approxifmately -vertical i plane with Aits .fforward end pointed inward, mea-ns for supporting said scraper from the car for lateral swinging .movement relative thereto, resilient means normally tending tofoppose-saidlateral swinging movement .of the scraper and :to lreturn thesamelto its initial position, and means'for automaticallycausing said lateral swinging movement of the scraper to avoid injury by an obstruction.

16. In a scraper structure, the combination with a railroad car to be supported on a tiesupported track, of a scraper, means for supporting the scraper with its forward end pointed inward toward the track and laterally f disposed at an angle thereto, said means being so constructed and arranged as to mount the scraper for lateral movement relative to the car, and means for automatically causing said lateral movement of the scraper to avoid injury by an obstruction.

17. In a scraper structure, the combination with a railroad car to be supported on a tie-supported track, of a. scraper, means for pivotally supporting the scraper from the car for lateral movement thereof, means for causing the scraper to be disposed with its forward end pointed toward the track, and a projection arranged at the forward end of the scraper for engaging an obstruction and automatically causing a lateral movement of the scraper.

18. In a scraper structure, the combination with a railroad car to be supported on a tiesupported track, of a scraper, means forpivotally supporting the scraper from the car for lateral movement thereof, means for causing the scraper to be disposed with its forward end pointed toward the track, and a projection arranged at the forward end of the scraper for engaging an obstruction and automatically causing a lateral movement of the scraper, and resilient means normally opposing said lateral movement and to return the scraper to its initial position.

19. A scraper structure Comprising a main support, cross head guides, means supporting said guides for pivotal movement about an approximately horizontal axis by said support", cross-heads mounted in the guides, means connected with the cross-heads for vertical adjustment thereof, and a scraper carried by the cross-heads.

20. A scraper structure comprising a. support, cross-head guides carried by the support, means for supporting said cross-head guides for swinging movement about an approximately horizontal axis, cross-heads mounted in said guides, screws operatively connected With the cross-heads for vertical adjustment thereof, a scraper frame carried by the cross-heads7 and a scraper Carried by said scraper frame.

2l. A scraper structure comprising a support, an upright guide carried by the support at the upper end portion of said guide and constructed for pivotal movement of the guide about an approximately horizontal axis, a scraper carried by theV lower end portion of the guide, and means for vertically adjusting the scraper relative to the guide.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK SPENO. 

